


Frustration

by Dellefox



Series: Pridecember 2020 [8]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: AU, Aged-Up Character(s), Atem and Seto fight like an old married couple, Atem struggling with learning stick shift, Light Smut, M/M, Prideshipping, Seto actually expresses some feelings, Seto has actually done some healing, Seto has done some actual healing, YGOPridecember2020, Yami Yuugi | Atem Has His Own Body, implied sex, ygopridecember
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:07:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27989736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dellefox/pseuds/Dellefox
Summary: Seto teaches Atem how to drive a manual, while they take baby steps to rebuilding what they once had. AU, light smut, prideshipping.For YGOPRidecember!Prompt: Frustration
Relationships: Atem/Kaiba Seto, Kaiba Seto/Yami Yuugi, Kaiba Seto/Yami Yuugi | Atem
Series: Pridecember 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2037481
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	Frustration

**Author's Note:**

> I’m merging the high school AU into the Off-Grid AU. This ficlet takes place in between them. It follows a nasty, painful breakup I’m writing, the aftermath/cooling off period, the slow friendship rebuild, and a rekindling of the relationship after a LOT of work on Seto’s part. 
> 
> If you’ve been keeping up with the prompts you will see the off-grid AU foreshadowing. <3 
> 
> ‘Marik’ is actually Yami Marik, and I use Malik to refer to his hikari. It makes life easier for this AU. 
> 
> Ages:  
> Seto – 21  
> Atem – 20  
> Mokuba - 10

_July 2003_

_Thunk._

The black Nissan Skyline gave a great lurch forward and then stalled. A bright orange “FUEL CUTOUT” light appeared on the dashboard’s display, along with a few others in various shades of yellow and red. Atem let out a frustrated sigh, put his foot back on the brake, and shifted the car back into neutral to try again.

“You’re letting off the clutch too fast,” Kaiba said.

“But if I stay on the clutch too long it will burn out,” Atem replied.

“We’ll get it replaced. I already have one on standby at the repair shop.”

“Oh, thanks,” Atem said, tone sarcastic. “You have so much faith in me.”

“It’s simply a part of the learning process,” Seto said. “I destroyed a clutch when I learned to drive a standard transmission, and I imagine Mokuba will as well.”

Atem started the engine and shifted back into first. He gave the engine a rev, while watching the odometer, waiting for the needle to come back to roughly 1000 RPMs before letting off the clutch. The vehicle traveled a few shaky feet before stalling, once again, in the Domino University parking lot.

“What are you _doing_?” Seto asked. “You have to give it fuel or the spark plugs have nothing to ignite.”

“Spark plugs?” Now Atem was _really_ confused.

“Never mind. I’ll explain how it works once you get the hang of this.” _If he_ ever _gets the hang of this,_ Seto thought to himself.

Atem revved the engine. Seto noticed him watching the odometer intently. The second the needle dropped back down to 1000 rpms Atem let off the clutch, resulting in the twenty-seventh stall of the day.

“You’re trying to catch it on the way back down,” Seto realized. His eyes narrowed. “Did Marik teach you that?”

“He says that’s how he does it.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake. Have you seen what that moron drives? He has to resort to God knows what unholy driving just to get that thing to move. He’s probably the worst example to follow. He’s likely forgotten proper technique at this point.”

Said thing was a very old and rusty 1971 Ford F-100 Ranger that had somehow managed to cross the Pacific Ocean from America to Japan. Seto did not want to know how Marik acquired it. Unlike the Skyline, its gear shift was located on the steering column and had only three gears, while the Skyline had five. The Skyline was nearly brand new, and slid into gear without complaint. The F-100 required rougher handling. Just thinking about it made Seto’s stomach turn.

Atem started the car. Seto took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Okay, shift into first.”

Atem pressed the clutch to the floor with his left foot and shifted into first. As instructed by both Seto and Marik, he kept his foot on the pedal so as not to stall the engine.

“Now slowly give it petrol.”

Atem revved the engine again.

“Slowly, Atem! See if you can hold the idle at 1000 rpms.”

With his right foot, Atem pressed the accelerator pedal gently, and did manage to hold the idle steady.

“Now keep the idle steady, and slowly release the clutch while you give it fuel.”

Atem slowly let off the clutch, and the car moved forward, albeit with jerky, sporadic hiccups. The engine quickly steadied as Atem gave the engine a bit more fuel.

“YES!” Kaiba yelled.

Atem startled, not used to seeing his normally stoic man exhibit sudden jubilant outbursts, and he slammed on the brake, clutch forgotten. Both men flew forward, and the car sputtered to a halt once more.

“ _What are you_ _doing_? You had it!”

“Fuck, Seto!” Atem clutched his chest. “You didn’t have to yell!”

“It was a _happy_ yell! What are you mad at _me_ for? You’re the one always giving speeches about being happy and expressing joy! And if you don’t hit the clutch when you brake you’re going to stall!”

“I’m not used to you being that loud about it!” Atem shot back. “I’ve never heard you cheer about anything in your life!” He put the car back into neutral. “And I’m used to cars that shift themselves.”

“This is why I don’t display emotions.” Seto scowled. “And automatics can’t hold gears worth a damn. You’re better off with a manual in our snowy climate. Less braking, and higher fuel efficiency.”

“Now you’re just making excuses to not feel things.” Atem started the car, noting, not for the first time, their slightly odd ability to hold simultaneous conversations. “Okay, I did it once, I can do it again.” Left foot on clutch, shift into first, rev to 1000, slowly release the clutch…

The car wobbled forward once again, then steadied.

“Good,” Kaiba said, calmer this time. “Okay, let’s just drive around a bit in first and get you used to this.”

They drove around and around the parking lot. Atem practiced braking and accelerating, slowly getting the hang of first gear. When he could get the vehicle moving without any stuttering, Seto instructed him to drive around to the back lot, where there were lots of long, straight roads. While the car was parked, Seto ran Atem though the gear shift a few more times: Start up in first, down to second, right and up to third, down to fourth, right and up to fifth. For good measure, he had Atem practice reverse, which was learned much more quickly now that he had the hang of first gear.

With first and reverse now somewhat familiar, they ventured into higher speeds. Atem found that second and third were much easier to deal with, as was downshifting. Seto’s irritable mood had calmed considerably, and as the sun began to set, Atem parked the car and switched seats with Seto. Seto drove them out of the parking lot and onto the expressway, taking a route unfamiliar to Atem.

“Where are we going?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t remember this,” Seto said, taking an off-ramp that lead them down a long, winding road and out of the city. Domino’s bright lights and skyscrapers left their vision, and were replaced by trees, meadows, and the occasional farm. As Seto pulled into the parking lot of a vista point, Atem’s memory came back, and he blushed. _Oh._

At the far end of the parking lot was long, narrow dirt road that lead to the middle of the forest. They had shared many Sunday afternoons and evenings there during their time in high school. The seclusion and privacy of that area made it a perfect spot for them to spend time together, with no worry of being discovered. They’d talk, or study, or listen to music, but mostly they’d fool around, exploring each other’s mouths and bodies(or exploring bodies with mouths), going a little further each time. They stopped just short of actual sex, only because Seto wanted their first time together to be in a proper bed. _The romantic fool,_ Atem thought.

Jingling car keys snapped Atem out of his daydream.

“Ready for an actual road?” Seto asked. “The speed limit is sixty here, and if you’re feeling up to it we can hit the bridge. Bridge limit is 100.”

Atem grinned. “Okay!”

They switched seats again, and Atem slowly backed out after stalling once. They slowly made their way back on the main road, and Atem kept the vehicle in third most of the time, occasionally downshifting to second when approaching blind curves or approaching wildlife. Twice they had to stop for deer.

Atem didn’t remember the scenery being this breathtaking the last time they visited, but that was back when everything was so new and intense and teenage hormones were dictating nearly every move. Things had changed so much. Atem tried not to let his mind wander to the breakup, instead preferring to focus on what they were trying to rebuild now. They were a little older now, slightly wiser, and learning from past mistakes.

They passed a few piers and a docked houseboat, and then the bridge came into view. Large, silver beams formed a trapezoid-like tunnel, with bright lights every few feet. Its industrial, menacing look clashed horribly with the lake and the forest, and it looked more like it belonged at Domino Bay than out in the country.

They drove back and forth across the bridge a few times so Atem could practice fourth and fifth gear, then Atem decided to cross the bridge one more time and, with Seto’s approval, head farther up into the mountains.

The road got narrower, and soon there were only driveways every few kilometers. The residents here owned huge plots of land, anywhere from five acres to as many as 70. It was desolate, and peaceful, and they could see so many more stars here, away from the light pollution of the city. Atem found it soothing, almost a homecoming. Up here the way of life was simple. Up here, residents lived off the land. They grew their own food, raised livestock, collected rainwater to supplement what they used from wells drilled deep within the earth. Some wealthier residents even had solar panels. Atem wondered what it would be like to live this way, and thought that maybe he might actually enjoy it.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Seto said.

“I’m concentrating on my driving,” Atem lied.

Seto snorted. “No you’re not. You have that dreamy look on your face again. And now that you actually know how to get the car moving you’re doing fine. I _told_ you it wasn’t that difficult.”

“I…” Atem didn’t want to share this with Seto. Not yet. Not while they were still carefully laying a much sturdier foundation on which to build. They were still working through a lot, and he didn’t want to mess things up by thinking too far ahead.

“You what?” 

“Never mind.” Atem felt his face grow hot. Seto’s demanding career path required him to stay in the city, and he knew Seto well enough to know that a commuter relationship wouldn’t work. He didn’t do well when Atem’s work and extracurricular schedules took him out of town for several days at a time.

“ _What_ , Atem?”

Atem cringed. Seto wasn’t going to drop this and the last thing either of them needed was a fight.

“It’s beautiful out here,” he said. “It’s so quiet, and safe, and it just feels so soothing. That’s all.”

Silence permeated the car like a thick fog. Atem felt his stomach twist as they descended back down to cross the bridge one final time. _Dumb idea,_ he thought. _Dumb idea dumb idea dumb idea –_

“I would not be opposed to the idea of living out here someday, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“Really?” Atem shifted into fifth as they crossed the bridge. “I mean, it’s just a random thought I had because we happen to be out here. But you need to stay in Domino.”

“Technology is advancing rapidly and there are huge improvements being made in telecommuting. Rural areas are still limited to dialup internet, but the industry is working on satellite options that will be just as good, if not better, than the cable internet we have in the city. I can always just _drive_ to work too. I’m not averse to the idea of longer commutes. I could get used to a drive like this.”

“But Mokuba…” Atem trailed off.

“It benefits him to see how other people live and to remind him how privileged we are living in the city with everything close by. I want him to stay humble. I don’t want his ego dictating his actions. I…want him to learn from my mistakes.”

The silence hung heavy in the air again.

“Small steps, Seto. I don’t even know what I want to do with my life yet outside of dueling.”

Atem’s chest felt painfully tight, and he was so preoccupied with the conversation he nearly downshifted into the wrong gear. He’d become so accustomed to Seto avoiding any and all discussion of emotions save for the minimum required to keep their high school relationship afloat. Communication during that first attempt had been practically nonexistent.

“You’ll figure it out. You’re too intelligent not to.”

Atem took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

“If we don’t think about _some_ sort of future we won’t have anything to go off of, Atem.”

Atem’s felt Seto’s right hand slide on top of his left as it rested on the gear shift. Fingers interlaced, and they shifted down into fourth together.

“I know. I used to be so _preachy_ about it back then.” They shifted into third. “What a fool I was.”

“You knew something I didn’t,” Seto corrected him. “You knew what needed to be done. Whether or not it contained specificity was unimportant. But you at least knew the steps that I was too blind to see.”

They pulled back into the vista point parking lot. As they rounded the back of the car to switch drivers Seto caught him and pulled him close.

“I’m not going to lose you again. I’m going to do whatever it takes. You’re not going to carry the burden this time. We’re doing this together this time, as a team. That’s the whole point, it is not?”

Atem gave him a tiny smile. “It is.”

“Everything I’m working towards is for you and Mokuba. This empire I’m building is worthless without you in it.”

He sealed the promise with a kiss that was long and deep. Atem returned the intensity and let Seto envelop him. They’d given fiery affection to each other in high school, but it was never like this. Before it had been desperation and lust and so much want. Atem could always feel Seto fighting back the inner demons that were constantly clawing at his soul, coupled with instability, like a train about to derail from going too fast. It was bigger than they were, and too much for them to handle at too young an age with not enough life experience.

The demons were still there, but now they were quiet, contained, recessing into defeat. Seto felt more grounded, more resilient. There were actions behind the words now. There had been growth in his absence, the potential Atem had always seen him finally beginning to be realized.

A single kiss turned into several. Hands began to wander over each other and under shirt hems and Seto let his fingers tangle into Atem’s unruly hair until the sound of a car driving by snapped them back to reality. Isono and Mokuba would both be home by now, as would Yugi and Suguroku. There would be little privacy at either home. But they could not let this go unfinished.

“You think that clearing is still there?” Seto whispered into Atem’s ear. “I have condoms.” 

“Only one way to find out,” Atem whispered back.

Seto smiled. “Would you like to do the honors?” He slid his hand out of Atem’s hair and fished the car keys from the pocket of his jeans.

“I would be delighted.”

Slowly, with no stalling, Atem gently crept the Skyline along the unpaved road, taking care not to kick up any dust behind them. To their surprise, the clearing remained. There appeared to be no other tire tracks. It was still theirs, and theirs alone.

Seto reclined his seat while Atem turned off the engine and set the emergency brake. He released the driver’s seat as far back as it would go to give him room to maneuver. With acrobatic grace, he flipped over the center console and straddled Seto. Seto pulled him down and hands resumed wandering, this time undoing belt buckles and zippers, pulling off shirts and tugging down waistbands while lips kissed and licked and bit and marked each other. The parted for air and Atem looked down at clear blue eyes, no longer constantly iced with anger. This time they burned bright with devotion and determination.

Seto reached up and gently cupped Atem’s cheek.

“I love you.”

Atem felt warmth sear his chest.

“I love you too.”

Seto pulled him back down and into another blazing kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> My first car was a stick-shift. The way Marik attempted to teach Atem how to drive a manual is pretty much how I was taught, until my grandmother caught the errors I was making and corrected them. Once I actually knew what I was doing it was a breeze and every vehicle I've owned since has been a stick-shift. <3 
> 
> I'm happy I was finally able to get this one out. I've done lots of writing involving Kaiba trying to work through things and having issues expressing his feels, but had yet to actually write anything where he'd made a whole lot of progress outside of the Off-grid stuff I've already written. A timeline is forming and I can't wait to actually get some work done on it. 
> 
> As always, many thanks to those who have commented on and shared my work thus far, and feedback is welcomed and appreciated! <3


End file.
